


Final Goodbye

by mikhailomeddows



Series: Viva Mexico [1]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: M/M, The Gallaghers acting like a family for once, farewell party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-30
Updated: 2018-07-30
Packaged: 2019-06-18 21:04:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15494676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikhailomeddows/pseuds/mikhailomeddows
Summary: "What are you doing?"Packing""Yeah, I can see that. Why?""I'm leaving with Mickey."A farewell party for Ian before he does the right thing and joins Mickey in Mexico.





	Final Goodbye

Ian packed his bags quickly with shaking hands and a racing heart, anxiety humming in his veins. He chucked in everything he thought he’d need into his old ROTC bag, stuffing objects down to make sure they fit. He hesitated slightly as he grabbed the tiny orange box of pills on his bedside table before putting them securely in a separate compartment, ensuring they wouldn’t spill. 

 

“What are you doing?” Ian jumped at the voice from doorway, turning around slowly to see Fiona standing there, arms crossed, and eyebrows drawn together in a frown. 

 

“Packing,” Ian replied, continuing to stuff his favourite pair of sweatpants into the bag. 

 

“Yeah I can see that,” Fiona said as she came further into the room, eyes scanning over Ian’s area of the room, taking in the open but empty draws and the made bed. “Why?” 

 

Ian stood up fully, throwing the bag pack over his shoulder and made eye contact with his sister. He let out a long sigh before finally replying. “I’m leaving with Mickey.” 

 

“W-what?” Fiona stuttered out as Ian strode past her and bounded down the stairs. “Ian, you can’t!” 

 

“Why can’t I?” Ian turned around quickly, much to Fiona’s surprise. She jumped back slightly and took in Ian’s red face and set jaw. “Please tell me, why can’t I.” 

 

“Well for one, he escaped from prison,” she started, recovering from her shock and setting her face into the usual stern big sister scowl. “And you’re bipolar, Ian! You need to keep a regular, predictable routine.” 

 

Ian barked out a laugh at that, his smirk almost cruel. “Ah yes, the bipolar card, of course,” Ian threw his hands up in the air with a sarcastic grin, his hands shaking for another reason now. “Of course, because that’s all I am to you now; bipolar.” 

 

Fiona sighed, running a hand through her hair and shaking her head slightly. “That’s not true, Ian,” she said, exasperated. “But we know how to take care of you, Mickey doesn’t.” 

 

“No, you don’t. You know how to *manage Monica’s* bipolar, not mine.” Ian’s voice began to rise as he jabbed a ginger at Fiona’s chest in accusation. “Mickey didn’t have a clue what the fuck bipolar disorder was, but he did a damn better job looking after me in those few months than you have the past year.” 

 

“That’s not true” Fiona repeated through a whisper, tears welling up in shame. 

 

“Yes, it is, because to you, I’m just another Monica, but I was never that to Mickey. I was still Ian, still his boyfriend, I just needed a little help,” Ian’s own eyes began to well up as he spoke, words breaking and stuttering as he attempted to swallow down the lump forming in his throat. He almost felt bad when he caught a tear escape from Fiona’s eyes, but he couldn’t bring himself to apologise. 

 

Slowly, Fiona began to nod, mumbling “okay” over and over to herself as she sniffed and bit back tears. She knew there was no way to convince Ian to stay now. “When do you have to meet him?” Ian smiled slightly at that, knowing that was her own way of giving her blessings for him to go. 

 

“In about 3 hours,” he replied, already knowing what she was going to say. 

 

Fiona clapped her hands together with a grin, her eyes still shining with unshed tears. “Alright, I guess we should have a farewell party then. I’ll call everyone to the house.” 

 

-

 

Ian excused himself half way through the party, smiling and laughing as he made his way upstairs and reached for his phone. 

 

He tapped the device against his chin as he thought about what to type, but eventually decided to just wing it. 

_Trevor,_

_You’ve probably already guessed what this is about but oh well, I feel like you deserve this text at least._

_I’m leaving. I can’t say when or where, but I assume you know who with and I hope I can count on you to not snitch._

_Thank you for the last couple of months, it’s been fun, but I know I could never give you what you want, and you could never give me what I want._

_I’m sure you’ll find someone that’ll give you that thrill everyone desires._

_Please don’t contact me again,_

_Ian_

 

Ian thought he’d feel sorrow or regret when he hit send, but all he felt was relief as soon as the words ‘delivered’ popped up under the grey text. When he saw them change to ‘seen’, he quickly opened the contact, hit block, and deleted their texts, before shoving the phone into his back pocket and rushing downstairs into the dancing arms of his siblings and Kev and V. 

 

Eventually, Ian made eye contact with Lip, who was sipping a drink at the breakfast bar away from the rest of the party. Ian slowly disentangled himself from Debbie’s grip before joining Lip. He silently offered him a sip of his beer, but Ian refused, knowing full well that his alcohol tolerance was next to none on these meds, and he wanted to be as sober as possible for when he finally saw Mickey again. 

 

“This’ll be the last time I see you, huh?” Lip slurred, and Ian cringed slightly at the strong smell of alcohol emitting off him. 

 

“Yeah,” Ian nodded and waited silently for Lips reply. What he didn’t expect was for him to launch himself off his chair and wrap his uncoordinated limbs around Ian in an awkward attempt of a hug. 

 

“I’m gonna miss you, bro,” Lip spoke into Ian’s shoulder, words muffled by the fabric of his clothes, but Ian could easily make out the hitch in his breath and the dampness against his skin. Ian reciprocated the hug, burying his face into Lip’s neck and memorising the scent of his brother. Nights spent holding each other in their beds as Frank and Monica switched from fighting to fucking poured into Ian’s mind, and soon he was letting a few of his own stray tears slip out. 

 

“I’m gonna miss you too, Lip,” he whispered back, voice hoarse and croaky. After a couple of minutes, Lip eventually pulled back, sniffing loudly and trying hide the obvious tear tracks down his blotchy skin. 

 

“The sex better be good,” Lip spoke after a few seconds. “Else what’s the point in leaving us for Mickey Milkovich?” Ian punched him in the arm. 

 

“You got any more army shit to give me before you go?” Carl said as he fell next to him on the sofa. Ian laughed as a reply before motioning for him to follow him up the stairs. 

 

He pulled out a locked box from under his bed and rummaged for a few seconds to find the key, before opening it to reveal everything he’d collected during his ROTC years. Carl’s eyes lit up as he took in the sharp blades and bullets, reaching out a hand to touch. Ian smacked it out the way playfully. 

 

“This can all be yours if you promise me you’ll use it correctly,” Ian said, hands on hips and a mock stern voice colouring his speech. Carl grinned up at him in return, nodding enthusiastically. 

 

“Course I will,” he replied before slamming the box shut, taking the keys, chucking it on his bed and making his way out the door. Just before he raced downstairs, he swiftly turned around and barrelled himself into Ian’s chest, arms wrapping tightly around him. 

 

Ian laughed loudly, reaching up to ruffle his hair and cursing at the fact he was almost as tall as him now. Carl didn’t say anything as his grip finally loosened and he sped back downstairs to grab another beer, but Ian didn’t need words to understand how much Carl was going to miss him, because he’d miss him just as much. 

 

Debbie was crying when she finally made it to Ian, not ugly, bone wracking sobs, but a pretty cry where the tears light up your eyes and you’re smiling, and Ian acknowledge how beautiful Debbie had become in the last couple of years. 

 

Immediately Ian wrapped her up in his long arms and shushed her as she cried into his shoulder, her skinny frame shaking with it. 

 

“You know,” she finally said, looking up at Ian through red rimmed eyes. “They’re gonna write love stories about you two someday.” She grinned at him, and Ian had to bury his face in her ginger her to hide the fact he was crying too. 

 

The time eventually came where Ian had to leave, and they all crowded around the front porch, eyes wet but laughs loud as they wished him good luck in his new life. 

 

Ian was grinning as he went around and hugged everyone, laughing as Kev slapped him on the shoulder and V slipped him a bottle of lube and some condoms with a wink. 

 

Ian instinctively picked Liam up as he came crashing into him, groaning at the weight, and that’s when he realised Liam wasn’t a baby anymore. He was a school student now, 7 years old and thriving in the south side and as he grinned at Ian, he knew Liam was going to make something of himself. 

 

“Can you at least tell us where you’re going?” Fiona asked after Ian finally pushed himself to put Liam down. 

 

“I’ll send you a postcard,” he finally complied with a shrug, knowing it was going to be at least a couple of months before Mickey would allow Ian to contact anyone. 

 

Fiona nodded before rushing down and wrapping Ian up in a hug that made him feel 15 again, before she dropped a kiss onto his head. She held him at arm’s length when she finally pulled back, a melancholy smile gracing her lips, and Ian could see in her eyes that she was thinking about herself and Jimmy, wondering if their love was strong enough to have made it in another country. Ian smiled back in understanding before pulling away. 

 

He gave one final wave to his family, before he pulled his bag pack up higher and made his way to the meeting spot Mickey had told him barely a day prior. (And if Ian saw Monica and Frank stumbling out of the Alibi on the way there, well, they didn’t need to know that they would never see him again) 

 

And when Ian saw a silver car speed towards him and he noticed the raven hair that always smelt like cigarettes, cheap shampoo and home, a thrill ran through his veins, the same thrill he left on the porch a year ago. 

 

And, my god, was he glad to have it back again.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!  
> Comment and Kudos if you enjoyed?  
> Twitter: mikhailomeddows  
> 


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